Danielsville Mayor Todd Higdon says people will not want to come to the county seat if the bathrooms at its restaurants carry a sewage smell.

The mayor warned of such scenarios if Danielsville doesn’t upgrade its aging water and sewer systems.

Higdon asked county and city leaders April 10 to consider allocating $865,000 in the next special purpose local option sales tax (SPLOST) to replacing old water and sewer infrastructure in Danielsville.

“After many years of struggles just to maintain its services, the City of Danielsville has a great opportunity to improve its crumbling infrastructure,” wrote Higdon in a prepared statement to county commissioners and the mayors of other municipalities. “When SPLOST dollars are used as they are intended, all citizens of Madison County win. Operating costs are much less when you are not trying to maintain dilapidated equipment….The next six years are about maintaining what we already have in order to avoid excessive and costly repairs.”

Hidgon pointed out that the city serves the county government complex and the schools in Danielsville. He noted that a recent water leak temporarily shut down the city’s system, which shut off water for the government complex and schools, as well as Danielsville businesses.

“The whole city can be shut down because of a water leak,” said Higdon. “It’s critical to fix our infrastructure.”

In the 2008 SPLOST, the county’s six cities received $1.5 million, with the revenues divided based on the cities’ populations.

Higdon said the division based on population is not a fair assessment of need. He noted that Danielsville has a population of 500, but he said many more people visit the city on business days. He said the Department of Transportation recently counted 12,000 vehicles come through the town’s lone red light in a day.

“When they base it (SPLOST revenue divisions) on population, that’s unfair, we’re serving far more people than that,” said Higdon, who added that other towns also serve out-of-city residents during daytime hours.

Other mayors voiced support for helping Danielsville upgrade its infrastructure.

“Danielsville is hurting and if any raise should come in, I think they deserve more,” said Rufus Kidd, mayor of Carlton.

Mayors Jody Blackmon, Comer, and Chris Peck, Colbert, also voiced support for Danielsville.

Peck brought up the idea of having the county industrial authority, which has requested $2 million in SPLOST funding, help in upgrading Danielsville’s water and sewer system. He said he doesn’t see why the IDA couldn’t help the cities, since city residents pay county taxes.

All mayors agreed that they want their towns to receive just as much funding in the 2014 as they got in 2008.

Commission chairman Anthony Dove asked the mayors if they would support a six-year SPLOST. A six-year tax is necessary to include the cities in SPLOST. Dove also said he thought the mayors agreed to share the revenue based on the same formula as 2008.

Four district commissioners attended the April 10 meeting, with only Mike Youngblood not on hand. The BOC members listened for most of the meeting, but commissioners John Pethel and Stanley Thomas offered some thoughts at the close of the meeting. Both emphasized that the 2014 SPLOST must be primarily dedicated to road funding.

The BOC has received numerous requests from county departments and organizations for SPLOST funding, but the board allocated just $3.95 million for roads in SPLOST in 2008, compared to over $8 million in the 2003 sales tax. Commissioners say short-funding roads is not a mistake they care to repeat.

Pethel said he doesn’t feel people will support SPLOST unless it is mostly devoted to improving roads that are in bad shape.

“If approve everything that’s requested, then that would be a reduction for roads,” said Pethel. “That’s a major complaint in the county, that roads are getting in bad shape. If roads take a reduction, would people vote for SPLOST?”

Thomas agreed that road funding through SPLOST is the top priority. He said the federal government is planning to cut transportation funding, which will lead to less state money for local roads. Likewise, he said the county “did without $5 to $ 6 million for roads for the past six years” since the 2008 SPLOST included less than needed.

“There’s just not enough to give everybody what they want,” said Thomas of the proposed requests.

Higdon suggested that the cities request $2.5 million in 2014, up from $1.5 million. The IDA has requested $2 million for water and sewer upgrades. The sheriff’s department is requesting $1.3 million for new vehicles. EMS is requesting $1.167 million for ambulances and other equipment. The volunteer fire departments are seeking $1.2 million for equipment upgrades. The recreation department is asking for $610,000 for upgrades at county parks and maintenance equipment. The transfer station is asking for $233,000 to replace aging equipment. The 9-1-1 office is asking for $257,000 for an improved radio system that will offer backup protection for the service, as well as other equipment upgrades. And the 4-H office has requested $40,000 for a van to transport 4-Hers to various events.

County leaders project $12.5-to-$12.6 million in SPLOST revenue over six years.

Madison County voters will hit the polls in November offer a “Yes” or “No” on renewing a one-cent sales tax for county and city improvements.

The BOC will soon determine how the potential revenue will be used, but the commissioners have only received requests so far. They have yet to offer any “Yes” or “No” on specific proposals.

The mayors agreed April 10 that the public needs to recognize the importance of SPLOST in maintaining vital services, such as roads and public safety. They said they will work hard over coming months to make sure whatever projects are ultimately approved are fully understood by voters.

County and city leaders also emphasized the need for Madison County residents to shop in Madison County whenever possible.

“It’s important to put your money in the are you live in,” said Blackmon.

No mention of Sunday sales as a way to increase revenue. Every city in the county should be pushing to include this option on the next ballot if they need more money.
I will vote "No" on every tax increase until they take advantage of the opportunities that are already available.
They are addicted to the SPLOST.

So what do you suppose we do if our house or barns catch on fire or what if we are having a heart attack? Roads are a good thing to put money on but there are much more needed projects besides roads that need this money.Our fire departments and ambulance services are racking and scraping to keep alive and updated with new stuff to help make live a little better.I would be more inclined to vote yes for splost if the fire departments and ambulances services will be getting some of the money.I think citizens in Madison county need to wise up and say no because money is not being spent where it needs to be.I have to pay school taxes and I don't even have a kid in school and I pay a huge hunk.So remember if you are in serious condition or you house is on fire just call the road commissioner and maybe he can help you out.

Ask the dummy who put the big empty shopping mall in one of the most idiotic, inaccessible locations ever to pay for the water upgrade. How did anyone approve that place? WE TOLD YOU IT WOULD BE EMPTY! And empty it has been from day one!

You just made the commenter's point that the Danielsville shopping center is empty, idiotic and inaccessible, maybe because, as you have so aptly illustrated with your comment that, like you, almost nobody knows where it is!

Still don't know what y'all are referring to. The origininal post referenced a shopping MALL, which in an interior entry structure like The Georgia Mall or Perimeter Mall in Atlanta. You are calling it the Danielsville shopping center. Why the unwillingness to properly identify it?

If you both are talking about the strip shopping center with Fox's Pizza on one end and an Asian restaurant on the other, then it's not at all inaccessible and is right on the main road through our little town. I know where it is and have no difficulty at all seeing it, turning in there, parking and shopping there. If you are speaking of a different place other than what I have described, please try again to express yourselves.

As to be expected after reading last week’s MainStreet News and in consideration of the commissioner’s budgeting meeting, I feel that no one other than the mayors of each city were listening or taking a realistic perspective on the needs of SPLOST toward infrastructure projects. The problems that all 6 cities have are real and need to be addressed - after all, they are the Keystones to this county. After reading the paper and seeing only a couple of the commissioners giving their thoughts on fixing infrastructure, I can tell that they really just don’t understand what it takes to maintain!
They do understand that roads need to be repaired because people have told them so, or they saw or felt it as they went down those roads. But, what they didn't see was the water lines and sewer lines under the roads that were installed before some these roads were even paved. It is that sort of shallow thinking that will come back to bite you ever y time. I call it “putting chrome wheels on a pinto” theory.They think that it doesn't need to operate well; it just needs to look good! This is how I see the following 6 year’s use of SPLOST money going to go.
The county commissioners need to understand first and foremost, that all the cities lie within the county. The cities are not completely separate from the county because we still pay county tax just like everyone in the county does. The cities contribute, but don’t benefit at all where it matters most – and where they are independently supposed to support themselves. Furthermore, for years the county has never really offered the cities any County services other than EMS and the minimal Sheriff’s services, which, some cities even pay for Sheriff Services -even after paying taxes!!….I’m really not sure (and wonder) how that came to be? Anyhow, with this being said, I think it’s time that the county uses this opportunity with the SPLOST money to give back to not only the tax payers of these cities but also the business owners that contribute directly to the SPLOST dollars in question.

I read in the paper that there is 650 miles of roads in Madison County that the county wants to pave. At a rate of $10,000.00 per mile, in the next 6 years we will pave every road in the county for $6.5 million and I assume that includes city streets that are in the county also? Well, that’s ok because all of our roads will be like new.
Another area SPLOST money goes is to the sheriff’s office - who may get $900,000. Why you ask? Well, to by cars! However, I thought that was budgeted in already because the commissioners gave approval for 5 new ones last Monday night.Also, they have like a $3 million surplus of funds from the last SPLOST, don’t they? The county may want to give them only $500,000 to add to their surplus.
EMS needs new ambulances so give them a full $1 million – if that is as important as the Sherriff’s department’s needs - which they should be able to meet with their own surplus!!
IDA wants $1 million dollar, but for what ???When you answer that question also please answer why all cities residents and business pay IDA tax, but get zero services for it!….Then we can see about that $1 million they asked for. Now, if that one million dollars is to address Comer’s sewer problems or Colbert and Danielsvilles water problems,I completely understand the need.
The transfer station asking for $150,000.00 seems justifiable.
4 H asking for $25,000.00 seems justifiable.
Then there is the Recreation Department.…here is another good example of wasted/needless money allotment. The Rec Dept.has a $570,000.00 a year budget and looking to get another $350,000.00 as a bonus??? REALLY???Please explain how this is justifiable – and what the money could possibly be used for in those amounts? They are only open 6 nights a week 7 months out of the year and all day Saturday. While charging children to play little league, MCYA football, cheer leading and other sports as well as charging the families and friends who come watch an entry fee to get in the gate. Well, let’s just say I’m still having a hard time figuring out how they spend the money they already get!!
Continuing the wasteful spending, let’s look at the old court house which may get $45,000…bearing in mind they have $86,000.00 that was never spent from years past. Let’s see how far that surplus goes first, before we pony up $45,000 more don’t you think?
Then, last but not least,there are the cities. The county has stated it will give the cities 1.5 million TOTAL.Sounds pretty good, right? Sure, till you divide it by 6 cities!!! The take that$250,000 each gets and divide again by 6 years (which is how often SPLOST money is allocated), and you have a grand total of $41,666.00 to do infrastructure rehab. It would take these small cities 20 years to pay for their problems at this rate and that’s if nothing else pops up. Keeping in mind the city taxes are just enough to maintain its daily services and that the county receives the other 95% of taxes. Some of that money could at least pay for infrastructure upgrades.

So, in my closing, what I would most like to point out, is that out of every department listed above with their hand stuck out (and possibly receiving those excessive amounts of money I have noted), not one group goes to contribute to or produce a single dime of the SPLOST money, like our cities and local business do. So,Commissioners, if you would like this SPLOST vote to pass, you may want to explain to the voter that voted for you why you feel that all 6 cities need to get the short end of the stick. Also I would say to the commissioners, you need to protect and take care of the cities and businesses and furthermore, you may even consider thanking them for the opportunity to give you SPLOST money TO divide amongst your already budgeted departments.

I saw the city guy's working on a leak or something last night around 11:00pm at the jail.I thought that was in the county though?

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